


Love is the Light Scaring Darkness Away

by morningdew



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Lydia Martin/Stiles Stilinski, Established Relationship, F/M, First Date, Stydia, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, post 6a
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-05
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-09-22 02:13:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9577658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morningdew/pseuds/morningdew
Summary: Senior year is ending and they're graduating, but Stiles and Lydia are finally together, so they deserve one day to themselves, away from everyone and everything supernatural, to just be a couple. This is just the extremely cheesy/fluffy and emotional first date fic nobody asked me to write.





	1. All Endings Are Also Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles convinces Lydia to skip school with him a week before the end of their senior year in order to spend the day together.

As Lydia put her AP Biology book in her locker and closed it, she could hear footsteps behind her.

But before she could turn around, someone’s arms were around her, hugging her from behind.

“Mmmm, you smell so good,” Stiles whispered into her ear.

At the sound of his voice, Lydia felt her lips turning up into a smile. That seemed to be her reaction to anything and everything concerning Stiles lately. It was new, but nice, nonetheless.

She would never admit it, but the warmth she feels within her whenever she's around him is unlike anything she's ever felt before. It was life changing, like she was suddenly seeing the world differently, in a better light.

Lydia turned around in his arms and looked up at him. “You managed to make that sound somewhat not creepy.”

Stiles smiled down at her, staring at her with an intensity that was encompassing and breathtaking. Suddenly, Lydia remembered a quote she read somewhere online a while ago, an extremely cheesy one she didn’t give much thought to until this very moment: _“You wouldn’t believe the way he looks at me, as if I’m built by constellations and he’s got all night to go stargazing.”_ Oh. That sounds about right. Has he always looked at her like this?

Lydia broke herself out of her thoughts as she smirked at him. “What, are we having a staring contest? I wasn’t prepared.”

Stiles laughed heartily as he leaned in to kiss her. Lydia looped her arms around his neck and met him halfway, losing herself a little in the feel of his soft lips against hers. Their lips moved in sync, as if they’ve memorized each other throughout the past few weeks.

Lydia could feel Stiles slowing down the kiss, smiling against her lips, and murmured something she couldn’t quite catch.  

“Skipschoolwithme.”

Lydia pulled back, her arms still around his neck. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Skip school with me,” he repeated, with a lazy smile.

Lydia has noticed that he’s been smiling a lot lately and it simultaneously warms and breaks her heart because, before they were reunited, she doesn’t remember the last time she saw him genuinely smile. But now, it’s almost as if he’s making up for lost time, his mouth breaking into a grin whenever possible and her heart threatens to beat out of her chest every time. She hopes that being with her is part of what has made his smiles easier to come by, that she can chase away the sadness when it threatens to consume him.

Lydia responds by raising her eyebrows at him. “Next week is the last week of school.”

“Exactly! So, we won’t be missed!”

“Stiles, you missed three months of school. _Three months._ You should be grateful that you’re actually graduating and haven’t managed to fail any classes!”

“Yup. My grades are impeccable, as are yours. Actually, yours are definitely _more_ impeccable than mine, Miss Valedictorian.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her as he said the last part.

She knows he’s only teasing, he was so proud of her when they found out (“As if we had any doubt!” he’d said with a laugh as he picked her up and twirled her around). Lydia bit her lip to stop herself from pointing out that “more impeccable” doesn’t make any sense. Before she could speak, he continued, “So, neither of us will be affected by this one day!”

Lydia quietly considered his proposition. It’s true, skipping today truly wouldn’t hurt either of their grades, which were practically already set in stone. They’d already taken their final exams and sent their transcripts to their respective colleges. And there’s also the fact that she hasn’t been able to spend as much time with Stiles as she would’ve liked since he came back; everything has been so hectic and their relationship was still so new.

Stiles was looking at her with those puppy eyes of his that he seemed to have mastered as he said, “Come onnn, Lyds.”

“Fine. But won’t the pack be worried if we just don’t show up to any classes? Recent events put into consideration, I wouldn’t blame them…” she replied, chewing her lip in the process.

Ever since she got Stiles back, she’s been on edge, constantly worrying that something terrible would happen again, especially as they neared graduation. Only a few months ago, she had constantly chastised Stiles for the very same thing, but she couldn’t help it, not after those agonizing three months without him. Three months that were composed of not remembering him, trying to convince everyone that he existed, missing him, and fearing that she might never see him again, that she might never get the chance to tell him how she felt, how much she loved him…

Stiles shook her out of her reverie by stroking her cheek with his thumb. She instinctively leaned into his touch as he reassured her. “Don’t worry, I’ve already told Scott.”

She raised her eyebrows again as she looked up at him. “How did you know I would agree to this?”

“I am very confident in my excellent powers of persuasion! And I know you can’t pass up the opportunity to spend time with me,” Stiles said with a wink.

Lydia snorted and patted his chest. “You keep telling yourself that, babe.”

Stiles kissed her hair softly, grabbed her hand, and said, with a grin, “I will. It fuels my ever-growing ego.”

Lydia laughed as she laced her fingers with his and let him lead her towards the parking lot.

Once they reached Stiles’ jeep, she found herself smiling fondly at it, realizing just how much she’s grown to appreciate the car that she once used to consider a piece of crap and viewed with strong distaste. This jeep had been instrumental in getting Stiles back, it was his relic that stayed behind when he was erased, her first real clue towards proving his existence.

She was drawn to it when she saw it being towed and only later would she realize its emotional significance to her; it was the last place she saw Stiles before losing him for three months, the place where he pleaded with her to remember him, telling her that his feelings for her never faded, but only grew stronger, and finally, telling her he loved her, imploring her to hold onto that one thing, to know how much he cared. It seemed like he wasn’t as bothered by the fact that he was going to be erased, that everyone would forget him, as he was about her not knowing that she was so wholeheartedly loved by him. He needed her to know and used his last moment to tell her, before he was ripped away from her by the Ghost Riders.

That was the first time he told her he loved her and she’s not sure why she was as shocked and taken aback as she was. He never had to say it before, she saw it in his eyes so many times throughout the years, usually when she was in mortal danger or when he was comforting her, but she was just scared. She was terrified by the intensity of his gaze, of the weight that it carried, of not being deserving of it.

Lydia voiced her initial thought to Stiles, patting the hood of the jeep and stating, “You know, it’s grown on me recently.”

Stiles beamed at her, as if her approval of his jeep was a milestone that has just been achieved.

“Yeah?” he responded.

“Yeah. It’s been through a lot with us. It’s pretty damn resilient and has been quite significant, as of late,” she replied slowly, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice, as she opened the door and climbed into the passenger seat.

Once they backed out of the parking lot, Lydia looked at Stiles expectantly as she asked, “Sooo, where are we going?”

Stiles had a mischievous expression on his face when he responded, “It’s a surprise.”

Lydia sighed in response, knowing that she wouldn’t get anything more out of him, all stubbornness considered.

Stiles turned up the radio as they drove in companionable silence for a short while. Lydia didn’t mind, it wasn’t weird or awkward, it felt nice to be so comfortable with someone that you didn’t feel the need to fill every silence with words.

As she stared out of the window, humming softly, Stiles reached for her hand and it instinctively found his, as he brought it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her palm.

Lydia smiled despite herself. “What was that for?”

Stiles shrugged. “No reason. I just felt like I wanted to do it.”

These kinds of small moments of soft intimacy meant everything to Lydia, serving as a constant reminder of just how much he truly cared, of how his touch was, at times, the only comfort she could find when the world seemed to turn its back on her.

Before Lydia could respond, they were pulling into the parking lot of the local supermarket.

Lydia raised her eyebrows at Stiles once he turned off the ignition. “We skipped class to go grocery shopping?”

Stiles didn’t respond until he exited his side of the jeep and walked over to open the door for her, his hand held out for hers, as he said, “Just trust me,” with a nervous smile.

Lydia took his hand, allowing him to lace their fingers together and lead her towards the entrance of the store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally going to make this set on the last day, but then I found out that it was apparently declared that Stiles and Lydia have been dating for a month since their kiss, meaning the last day of school was not soon after, as I had originally assumed. Please let me know what you think!!


	2. Love Declarations in Aisle 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles and Lydia have several *moments* while grocery shopping.

As they entered the supermarket, Stiles grabbed one of the baskets that were piled up by the door, his right hand still clutched in Lydia’s.

“We just need a few things,” Stiles said thoughtfully as he started leading Lydia towards the pasta aisle.

Lydia cocked her head at him, “So, you’re cooking me dinner, is that it?”

Stiles stopped to look at her, his hand finally releasing hers as he nervously scratched his neck with it. “Well, I, um, I thought that would be a good start to a first date? Right?”

Lydia was somewhat startled by his response. “First date? Is that what this is?”

“Um, only if you want it to be! I know things have been really...crazy since I came back and we never got the chance to really do something that would count as a date, right? And I just...I just wanted to do something that would give you some sense of normalcy, ya know?”

He was rambling and looking really anxious, as if he ruined everything by having the audacity to want them to have a first date, like normal couples do. Lydia was still wrapping her head around the fact that that’s what they were now. A couple. As in, _together_. Boyfriend and girlfriend. But they have such a strong connection, such a strong bond, that it wasn’t really a drastic change. Stiles was her best friend, her anchor, her _emotional tether,_ and being with him....nothing in her life has ever felt so _right_.

Stiles started mumbling incoherently and didn’t stop until Lydia reached up to touch his face, calming him as she stroked his cheek and kissed him softly.

“Stiles. Relax. I’m sure it’ll be perfect. Just...spending time with you, that’s all I want.”

He beamed at her in response. “Really?”

She nodded, giving him an answering smile. “Really.”

“Well, good. I didn’t want you to foil my elaborate plan. A lot of thinking went into this.”

Lydia laughed as she grabbed his hand and asked for a list of the ingredients he needed.

Stiles scoffed. “I have no need for lists! I have a photographic memory.”

Lydia stared at him, trying to contain her laughter. “No, you don’t. Such a thing doesn’t actually exist and you have _terrible_ memory.”

They bickered about that for a bit as they collected the ingredients that Stiles wracked his brain to list, with Lydia supplementing what she believed to be necessary as she formed a general idea of what the meal would be because, knowing Stiles, he would forget something important.

As they walked through the aisles, Lydia glanced at Stiles and casually asked, “So, you’re planning on cooking the meal yourself?”

Stiles raised his eyebrows at her. “Do my ears deceive me or do I detect a hint of disbelief? You don’t think I can cook?”

Lydia tried to feign innocence. “I didn’t say that...I just...remember those peanut butter cookies you made for a pack meeting a few months ago?”

“I told you, that wasn’t my fault! My dad put the salt in the container where we usually put the sugar!”

Lydia snickered. “Oh, was that it?”

“Yes! That was precisely _it!_ I am a perfectly adept cook!”

“Whatever you say, darling,” she said as she patted his arm in a comforting manner.

Stiles’ eyes widened momentarily before his mouth quirked into an unsettling grin. He set the basket full of ingredients on the floor and closed the distance between them until they were centimeters from each other. Lydia started breathing heavily, the lack of space between them making her slightly lightheaded. Damn him and his affect on her.

“Lydia Martin, admit right now that you are sure, without a doubt, that I am perfectly capable of preparing a lovely meal,” he said softly.

She held her ground, challenging him, stepping impossibly closer. “And if I don’t?”

She thought she saw him falter a little, unable to stand their closeness without doing _something,_ but he was somehow able to contain himself, the dangerous smirk reappearing as if it never left.

Before Lydia could even blink, Stiles had grabbed and lifted her, positioning her over his shoulder in the middle of the produce section of the supermarket.

“Stiles! Put me down!”

“Not until you admit your confidence in my abilities!”

“Stiles, we are in _public_. In a store!”

“Don’t care,” he whispered as he smiled lazily.

“You are insufferable.”

“Admit it!”

“No!” Lydia responded, a laugh escaping her in the process because she could not believe him. The absolute ridiculousness of this situation…

“Lyds, I will walk around this entire store carrying you if I have to.”

Lydia didn’t respond as she tried to free herself from his grasp, but he was somehow able to maintain a very strong hold on her without stumbling or anything.

“Would you prefer if we transitioned to piggyback style?”

She smacked his shoulder to show him just what she thought of _that_ idea.

“I hate you.”

Stiles laughed and Lydia’s heart softened at the sight, seeing the laughter not only on his face, but in his eyes, too, transforming his entire demeanor, as if he was emitting light.

“No you don’t,” he said softly as he finally set her down, gently, onto the ground.

Lydia smiled at him, hoping that he truly was as confident in her feelings for him as he was conveying. But, for good measure, once her feet were set firmly on the ground, she reached up to kiss him on the cheek, causing him to blush a beautiful shade of pink as he looked at her with adoration.

“Looks like I’m off to a good start!” he said happily, taking her hand once again as he led her to another aisle, muttering about how they “needed one more thing.”

They walked into the candy section, where Stiles made a beeline for the chocolate. Lydia had no idea what this was about until she saw him pick up a bag of Reese’s as he wiggled his eyebrows at her and said, “My memory isn’t _that_ terrible, huh?”

She simply stared at him, which made him start to frown, probably worrying that _she_ was the one who didn’t remember, that she didn’t understand the significance of the gesture.

Lydia was momentarily choked up, getting emotional over some goddamn _chocolate,_ as she squeezed his hand to assure him that she understood, that she remembered.

“Did you know, then? That I like Reese’s?”

“Nah, I honestly just got lucky. My crush on you was pretty pathetic, but not to the point where I knew your chocolate preferences,” he replied sheepishly.

“It wasn’t pathetic….” she said in an attempt to ease the tension she could hear in his voice.

He laughed. “No, it really, really was. I barely knew you then, the _real_ you, yet I was convinced that I was in love with you. So imagine how I feel _now_.”

“Like you’re ready to run for the hills?” she replied, not entirely jokingly.

He dropped the Reese’s into the basket and turned back to her, softly grabbing her face with his two hands, and looking into her eyes with all the vulnerability in the world as he said, “Like, when I hold you, I’m holding the entire world in my arms. Like, every time you touch me, all the tension, anxiety, and exhaustion fades from my body. Like, every time you kiss me, you breathe life back into my soul. Like, I would go through everything we’ve been through over and over again because it brought me here, to this moment, with you. Like I never thought I deserved the kind of happiness I feel every second that I’m with you.”

Lydia felt her breath catch in her throat at his words, unable to form a coherent thought that would express the way he made her feel in that moment, at the affection she felt radiating from her, trying to seep into his skin, to find its home there and never vacate it. Stiles, who stuttered and tripped over words so often when speaking, especially when conveying particularly strong emotion in speech, had said all that without pausing, as if he had recited it in front of a mirror countless times, as if he’d memorized it in preparation for this moment.

Before either of them could blink, she surged forward, not unlike the way she did in the locker room a few weeks ago (and before that, years ago, in the same location), capturing his lips in hers in a heated kiss that lit her entire body on fire. Stiles was surprised at first, but soon responded enthusiastically, placing his hands on her waist and pulling her ever so closer as her hands went into his hair, which she seemed to enjoy doing. She kissed him with desperation, as if every breath she breathed into his mouth was speaking for her. _I love you. I love you. I love you so much. You are_ **_everything_** _. Everything to me._

Once they broke away to breathe, Stiles grinned at her as he said, “God, Lyds, we are in _public!_ In a store!”

Lydia rolled her eyes at his mocking as she adjusted her shirt that had ridden up in the heat of the moment in an attempt to conceal the range of emotions displayed on her face.

“Seriously, though, what was that for?” Stiles asked, his voice barely a whisper with the weight of emotion in it, as he still held her face, stroking it softly with his hands.

“You’re just a giant dork who can somehow manage to say the sweetest things in the middle of a goddamn supermarket and make grocery shopping a memorable experience,” Lydia said simply, with tears stinging her eyes, threatening to spill out.

Stiles smiled softly at her, kissed her forehead, and said, as he led her towards the cashiers, “I’m just that good.” Then, “I’m pretty sure we have everything. Let’s head out?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, I don't know why I think grocery shopping is a cute couple experience, I just think it is. Like, I don't know about you, but I would totally skip class to go grocery shopping with my significant other. Comments are very appreciated!


	3. Kitchen Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some lighthearted teasing leads to certain insecurities and worries being addressed as Stiles and Lydia arrive at the Stilinski residence.

Stiles and Lydia paid for the groceries, left the store, and climbed into the jeep. They drove back to Stiles’ house, with Lydia having to endure listening to him singing the newest pop songs at the top of his lungs the entire time, and falling into a fit of giggles as a result.

They approached the house carrying the bags, Lydia carrying two after Stiles had insisted on attempting to carry all of them (“I am a gentleman, Lydia!”) before he unceremoniously dropped them onto the ground.

As they walked into the kitchen to relieve themselves of the load, Stiles leaned down and whispered in Lydia’s ear, “By the way, I’m gonna make you eat your words regarding my cooking.”

Lydia grinned in response. “I look forward to it, Mieczyslaw.”

Stiles tripped over his feet at the sound of his birth name and would’ve went crashing into the kitchen counter if Lydia hadn’t grabbed his arm at the last moment, steadying him as she laughed heartily.

“I can’t believe you just- My dad told me he told you, but ugh. And you pronounced it _correctly,_ which I actually shouldn’t be surprised by because you’re _you_...I actually considered changing it legally, but that’s _so_ much effort and paperwork and it was my mom’s dad’s name and, while I hate it, I just think it would be an insult to her memory if I just tried to wipe it from existence, ya know? But seriously, I can’t believe my dad told all of you -”

Lydia cut him off, mostly to re-establish the lightness of the conversation because Claudia has become an even more sensitive subject than she was before all the Ghost Rider business and she doesn’t want Stiles to talk about her unless he wants to.

“Relax! I actually think it’s a cute name,” she began, eliciting a look from Stiles that was a mixture of disbelief and gratitude. She continued, “but I know you don’t like it. I was just teasing, you’ll always be Stiles to me,” giving him a small smile of reassurance.

“Good, I can’t even begin to imagine the look on your dad’s face if you tried introducing me to him with my real name,” he replied as he moved passed her to begin unloading the grocery bags.

Lydia froze momentarily at his words, giving them time to truly sink in. Of course, she didn’t have a very strong relationship with her father, who she would probably always resent for abandoning her and her mother and allowing them to become so estranged. But, she realized now that, eventually, she _would_ have to introduce him to Stiles and the fact that Stiles had mentioned it so nonchalantly, as if he had no doubt in his mind that their relationship would reach a point where that would naturally occur, warmed her.

Stiles was looking at her with concern, since she apparently was so lost in her thoughts that she’d missed something he’d said to her.

“Lydia? Are you okay?”

“What? I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“Of course.” She hesitated a little before voicing her thoughts, constantly forgetting that there are no more barriers between them, that she can tell him whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. “I just...I was thinking about how you talked about meeting my dad so normally.”

“Oh. Was that bad? I didn’t even think - I mean, you’ve obviously met my dad, and you know he absolutely _adores_ you. I think he thinks you’re a good influence on me or something. And you actually met my mom....well, _sort of_. From what you told me, she didn’t seem to like you very much because her existence depended on my nonexistence and you were so adamant that I _did_ exist. But she wasn’t _really_ my mom, right? She was, like, a ghost or something, and not a nice one like Casper. My real mom, the real Claudia Stilinski, she would’ve loved you. I used to tell her about you, when I was a kid, about how pretty and smart you were, before the disease started eating away at her brain…” He flushed a little at that, emotion flooding his face and Lydia just wanted to kiss every inch of it, her heart breaking for him at the mention of his mother.

But, before she could react, he continued, as if nothing happened. “And your mom knows me, of course. I actually don’t think she liked me very much until recently. You know, since she kicked me out of the hospital and Eichen when I tried to visit you, but I don’t blame her, of course...everything bad that happened to you seemed to lead back to me and Scott and the pack, but I think I’m starting to grow on her! Well, I hope I am,” his eyebrows furrowing with uncertainty as he said that last part, but he rambled on, “And I saw your dad a few times when we were younger, but he was always kinda intimidating, to be honest. So, actually, he might not like me, either. He seemed like he would prefer you to be with someone like Jackson, because he was rich and athletic and stuff.”

Lydia noticed how Stiles’ nose wrinkled in distaste when he said Jackson’s name and she knows his dislike towards her ex-boyfriend did not come from a place of jealousy, but because he hated how he had treated her and believed that he was undeserving of her affection.

She moved towards him, putting her hands on his chest and staring up at him. His hands reached instinctively to lightly hold her waist and she could actually feel the tension that she sensed practically radiating from him when he was speaking ease up a little at their proximity.

“First of all,” she began, “Jackson may have been athletic and rich, but he was a snake. _Literally._ And he was not good to me, at all. You and I both know that. You’re worth ten of him, even though he’s a werewolf and you’re human. He never looked at me the way you do, he never believed in me the way you do, or even stopped to look past his ego to realize that I wasn’t the ditz I pretended to be for his benefit. And that’s how I know that this is real and that what I had with him wasn’t. He was a bad guy. I remember I once told Aiden that I couldn’t be with him because he was a bad guy, that I didn’t want to be with one, not after I already experienced what that was like with Jackson. And, contrary to what you tell yourself, to what you believe, _you are a good guy, Stiles_. The best guy I know, the best guy I’ll _ever_ know. So, I don’t care if my dad would prefer that I be with someone like Jackson because you’re who I want, you’re _all_ I want. The only reason why I was thinking about how nonchalantly you talked about meeting him was because it made me realize that you’re so invested in the future of our relationship that you want to meet my dad and you’re worried about him not liking you, as if that would even matter to me. It just touched me that you’re so sure of us that you’d say something like that after only being officially together for a few weeks.”

There was so much love in Stiles’ eyes at her words that Lydia wanted to cry at the sight of it, but, as he opened his mouth to speak, she gave him a quick peck to signal that she wasn’t done yet.

“Second of all, my mom _does_ like you. She likes you very much, actually. She thinks you’re the nicest guy I’ve ever been with and, now that she sort of has a grasp of the supernatural world and the crazy shit that happens in this town, she understands how much you’ve done for me, the lengths you’ve taken to keep me safe. She wishes you didn’t skip school as much as you did (hah, the irony of us talking about that right now is amazing), but that’s just the teacher in her, she knows your grades are excellent, nonetheless. She thinks you’re great, so please don’t worry about her not liking you. And, even if she didn’t, I really wouldn’t care, as I’ve already made clear in reference to my dad.”

Lydia took a breath, pausing a little after that speech. “And finally, you think I’m pretty and smart?” She questioned innocently, batting her eyelashes and flipping her hair in a very Lydia-esque way.

Stiles roared with laughter and Lydia smiled to herself, glad that she ended on a light note, especially since she saw a few tears escaping his eyes while she was talking, which he quickly wiped away now, right before he started kissing her all over her face and saying, in between kisses, “You - are - the - prettiest - and - smartest - girl - in - the - world.”

Lydia giggled and blushed a little, despite herself. “That was _so_ lame, Stilinski, so lame.”

Stiles raised his eyebrows at her. “Really? You just gave that whole speech and you’re calling _me_ the lame one?”

She looked affronted, and opened her mouth to bite back at him, but before she could, he had lifted her up by her waist and set her down on the counter.

“I’m just kidding,” he said, as he leaned his forehead against hers. “What you said - that was...that meant the world to me.”

He proceeded to hug her around her middle with his head on her chest, right above her heart. She placed her head on top of his, her arms wrapped around him, and they stayed like that for a while before Stiles placed a soft kiss to her collarbone and retreated, looking at her, at eye-level, and saying, with a lopsided smile, “You are a blessing, Lydia Martin.”

Lydia didn’t know how to respond to such a declaration, so she beamed at him and said, “Are you planning to start wooing me with your cooking skills any time soon? I’m hungry.”

Stiles laughed. “Of course, my love. It’s time for me to prove you wrong!”

Lydia couldn’t help herself, she blushed deeply. No one’s ever referred to her as “my love” and normally, she would’ve snorted at Stiles using a phrase like that, but somehow, it sounded nice, beautiful even, coming from his mouth.

Stiles didn’t see her reaction, probably didn’t even realize what he said, as he set out to boil the pasta.

“By the way, what were you trying to ask me before, when I zoned out?”

“Oh, I just wanted to make sure that you liked lasagna. If I’m going to ‘woo you with my cooking skills’ as you so eloquently put it, it should be something you actually like eating.”

Lydia looked at him thoughtfully just to annoy him a little before responding, “I love lasagna.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is my best friend! Next chapter should be up soon!
> 
> Feel free to come rant with me about Stydia on Tumblr! blossomingintheshadows.tumblr.com


	4. Settle Down With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some banter that eventually turns into an angsty conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I've taken so long to update! I've been extremely sick for the past few days, so I didn't get the chance to get much writing done. I only got around to finishing this chapter today when I was feeling a little better. I hope you enjoy it!

“So, am I meant to just sit here on the counter while you do everything?” Lydia inquired, staring at Stiles as he stood at the stove.

“Yup. That was my intention when I placed you on the counter,” Stiles replied.

“But why? Don’t you want help?”

“Nah, you’ll just distract me and then we’ll never eat.”

Lydia pursed her lips. “I am not _distracting_.”

Stiles stared at her. “I think I’ll be the judge of that, Lyds.”

She frowned slightly, then shrugged. “Suit yourself,” she said, as she pulled out an MIT pamphlet from her purse and started reading it.

Stiles moved around the kitchen fluidly and Lydia was soon more intrigued by watching him than reading her pamphlet. He seemed to be doing everything with so much care and precision, measuring ingredients exactly and making it all seem effortless. He looked like he was in his element, with an air of comfort about him that was intoxicating.

As Lydia watched Stiles, she realized that this is one of the things she loves most about him: how he puts everything into everything he does. Watching him moving around the kitchen, humming to himself softly, without the weight of the world on his shoulders or the crease in his brow or the tension in his muscles, was mesmerizing.

He had removed his plaid shirt in favor of the dark green t-shirt underneath, which just so happened to be the exact same shade of her eyes. She smirked to herself, wondering if that was a conscious decision or a happy coincidence. Lydia watched the movements of his large, veiny hands as he kneaded the dough, which she assumed would be made into garlic knots, with equal gentleness and force.

Stiles caught her staring at him and matched her gaze with an intensity of his own. “See, distraction!” he exclaimed, his arms gesturing wildly in her direction.

“ _Y_ _ou’re_ distracting _me_ , not the other way around!” Lydia said, defensively.

Stiles snorted. “How am I distracting you?”

“I don’t know, I just like watching you,” she said honestly, “You seem to be so...at ease. I’m not used to that with you.”

Stiles’ face softened at her admission and smiled warmly as he approached her. He squeezed her hand and said, “It’s easier when you’re here with me.”

He stepped between her legs, placed his hands on her waist, and pulled her a little closer, closing the small distance between them as he kissed her. Lydia welcomed the kiss with equal fervor, her hands tangling in his hair as she lost herself in him as she always did.

Once they broke apart, Lydia smirked at him. “See? Me being on the counter does not make me less distracting, so let me help?”

Stiles relented, allowing Lydia to help him a little towards the end, under the pretense of “speeding things up a little.”

Once the meal was prepared (finally), Stiles left for a few minutes, claiming that he “had to go to the bathroom.”

When he came back, he reached for her hand and led her towards the living room, where she discovered what the true intentions of his bathroom break were. Stiles had placed an array of candles around the room, all lit, emitting a soft, romantic glow. He looked at her nervously, trying to gauge her reaction from her expression.

Lydia smiled at him and kissed his cheek. “It’s beautiful, Stiles.”

“Really?” he asked, a relieved smile forming on his face.

She squeezed his hand in response as she made to go sit on the couch. Stiles left momentarily to bring the food and came back with two plates, setting them on the small table in front of the couch.

“I, uh, my original plan was to take you to this fancy restaurant that’s in a town close by and, just when I was about to make reservations, I changed my mind. I don’t know why.” He smiled faintly at her, probably hoping that he made the right decision and that she didn’t actually prefer the fancy restaurant.

“You just really wanted to prove to me how great of a cook you are, huh?” Lydia questioned teasingly.

Stiles smirked at her. “Well, as I previously said, you are going to eat your words once you taste this masterpiece. You’re gonna be begging me to cook for you everyday.”

“Wow, how does one house contain such an outrageously big ego?”

“Har har. Lydia Martin has developed a sense of humor. You’ve been spending too much time with me.”

“I thought the point of today was that we _haven’t_ been spending a sufficient amount of time together?”

“No amount of time with you is enough, Lydia. Especially not when we’ll be leaving for college soon…” Stiles said quietly, suddenly serious, his index finger nervously drawing circles onto her arm.

Lydia opened her mouth to respond, to reassure him that they’ll be fine with the distance, that they’ll make it work, but he cut her off hastily. “Anyway! Eat! We spent too much time on this to let it get cold.”

Stiles stared at Lydia expectantly as she dug at her food, but soon lowered her fork before it reached her mouth, annoyed. “Stiles, stop staring at me.”

“Right. Sorry. I just want to see your reaction!”

Lydia sighed and, once again, brought her fork up to her mouth, but this time, she actually swallowed. Stiles gave her the opportunity to get a few bites in before asking for her opinion, somehow managing to eat himself while staring at her intently.

“How do you know I won’t just lie to you?” she asked, prolonging the moment when she has to tell him because _damn, this food was amazing._

“Oh, Lydia, would you ever lie to this face?” he retorted, pointing at his own face and pouting for good measure.

Lydia groaned in response and Stiles patted her on the shoulder kindly. “Babe, I know how difficult it is to admit that you’re wrong, but it’s healthy for humans to do so every now and then, to keep their egos in check.”

She set her plate down on the table and grabbed the nearest pillow, smacking him with it as she exclaimed, “Oh, _my_ ego needs to be kept in check, huh?!”

Stiles laughed as he struggled to retrieve the offensive object from her hand. “Okay, okay, I surrender! I’m sorry for trying to get you to admit that you were _very_ wrong about me and owe me an apology for such a severe lapse of faith.”

Lydia glared at him as she resumed eating, ignoring him completely until she had her fill because she really was hungry.

Once they were done and had cleaned up, they unconsciously moved closer to each other on the couch, Lydia’s feet tucked underneath her legs (her heels lay abandoned at the foot of the couch), with her head resting on Stiles’ shoulder as they watched the candles in front of them flicker slightly.

Lydia broke the silence by stating, “Okay, I’ll admit you’re a keeper, if only for the fact that you’ve proven yourself a decent cook.”

“I’m going to pretend like I didn’t hear that last offensive adjective,” he said, looking down at her. “That doesn’t really sound like an apology, though? I think you owe me.” He looked at her expectantly, trying and failing to keep a straight face.

“What do I owe you?” she questioned suspiciously, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“You hurt my feelings, I think you should kiss it to make it better,” his lips puckering mockingly in anticipation.

“Oh? Well, being as _feelings_ aren’t a tangible entity, I don’t think I can kiss them,” Lydia challenged.

Stiles opened his mouth, then closed it, seemingly unable to form a response. He settled for, “You are insufferable,” throwing her earlier words back at her.

“But you love it,” she said as she trailed two fingers across his jaw, leaning up to plant a soft kiss there.

Stiles groaned. “That doesn’t count!”

Lydia patted him gently on the cheek to console him. “Where’s the Sheriff? I thought he’d be home to eat with us.”

“You know, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that…” he said as he shifted uncomfortably.

Stiles’ tone turned from teasing to serious, which made Lydia sit up straight to look at him clearly. “I’m so sorry that we haven’t been able to see each other as much as we’d like, or as much as I’d like, recently. It’s just that, ever since I got back, my dad’s been acting...well, I actually don’t really know how to describe it.” He seemed to be unable to look her in the eyes, his own downcast as he played with her fingers distractedly.

He pressed on, his eyebrows furrowing with emotion. “I..I think the whole supernatural cowboys erasing me from existence and making him forget that he had a son for three months ordeal was just too much for him, especially after the nogitsune situation… That was a close call, he almost lost me forever and it was _horrible_ , but this is different. At least, then, he was actively fighting, doing all he could to help me, to save me. But this time, he didn’t even _know,_ he didn’t even know I existed, let alone that I was in danger, that I was gone, and I think that took a really strong toll on him.”

Lydia ached to ease the pain she saw reflected in his eyes, in his expression. “But that wasn’t his fault! He couldn’t help it, he can’t blame himself - we all forgot.”

Her lips trembled a little as she said the last part, knowing that she, too, hates herself for forgetting, unable to comprehend how she could forget someone she cared for so deeply. She can’t even begin to fathom how his father must feel, with the knowledge that he forgot his own son.

“ _I_ know that, I don’t blame him, I don’t blame any of you, but nothing I say consoles him. He can’t forgive himself, especially since he ignored all the signs, not believing Scott, not believing you, no matter how much you tried to convince him.” Stiles said, in a defeated voice.

Lydia sucked in a breath at his words. So Noah told him….he told him about his skepticism, about his unwillingness to accept the truth that Lydia was practically begging him to believe. She didn’t tell Stiles, deliberately keeping that part out when she filled him in, when she recounted the events that led to his discovery. She knew how strong of a bond him and his father had, how much they loved each other, so she didn’t want to tarnish that, not with something that truly wasn’t Noah’s fault.

Lydia realizes now that, by telling Stiles, Noah was punishing himself for forgetting, for not having faith, for believing in a fantasy, a ghost, more than his own son. Her heart breaks for the man who carries so much on his shoulders, who has lost so much, who only has his son. And yet, this cruel world has tried to take him, too, many times, which is more than any parent should ever have to bear.

Stiles continued, his eyes unfocused, a haunted expression on his face that pulled at her heartstrings.

His voice trembled when he spoke this time. “And then...then there’s the whole thing with my mom. Well, that - that _thing_ he thought was my mom. He lived with her for three months, Lydia, thinking she was real, having these false memories that created a reality where she never died. The way he talks about her...she was so _real_ to him. And now, when he looks back, the memories are still there and it destroys him. After so many years, he got her back, without even knowing that he ever lost her in the first place, and then, when he remembered me, he lost her all over again. You said it yourself, he had to choose between keeping her, living in the fantasy he created from the strength of his grief, and getting me back. What a cruel fucking choice. But he chose to believe in me and now he has to mourn his wife all over again.”

Stiles’ hand has stopped playing with her fingers and instead, has started to shake as he’s lost in his dark thoughts, his eyes heavy with tears. Lydia steadied his hand with her own, stroking it softly, attempting to soothe him. She tried to pour strength into him, fighting back tears herself as her heart ached for their broken little family.

“He just needs time, Stiles. What he went through was devastating. He didn’t really get much time to cope with losing you because he didn’t even know what he was missing, but now it’s all catching up to him, the grief of it all is threatening to suffocate him. He just needs _you_.” She tries to reassure him, shifting even closer in an attempt to ground him, knowing that their closeness always has a calming effect on him.

Stiles makes the space between them nonexistent by pulling her into his lap and holding her close. Lydia welcomes this new position by resting her head on his chest, their hands still tangled.

Stiles sighed. “I know. That’s why he hasn’t let me out of his sight these past few weeks. I - I think he’s scared, scared that if he looks away for too long, I’ll disappear again.”

Lydia gave him a watery smile as she said, “I know the feeling.”

Stiles’ eyes finally find their way back to hers, his face softening at her declaration. His hand reaches to cup her face and she immediately leaned into his touch. “Hey,” he said softly, adopting the tone he seems to keep reserved for her alone, “You’ll never lose me again. If different dimensions can’t keep us apart, nothing can. We always find our way back to each other.” He beamed at her, the overwhelming sadness she saw in his eyes a few minutes ago gone, replaced by their usual warmth.

Lydia buried her face in his neck in response, overcome with emotion for the boy with the heartbreakingly beautiful sad eyes.

Stiles looked over at the clock on the end table and jumped, startling Lydia. “Shit, is that the time?!”

Lydia looked at him with confusion, “What?”

Stiles started scrambling for his keys, grabbing her hand when he found them in his pocket. “It’s almost 6! We have to go!”

“Go where?” Lydia asked, the puzzled expression still on her face.

“You didn’t think we’d spend our entire first date at my house, did you?” Stiles replied, that mischievous grin back on his face, coupled with a glint in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for straying a little from my promised fluff towards the end, I just thought it was really important for Stiles to address his feelings about his dad because I imagine that it's been a very difficult time for the Stilinskis ever since Stiles came back and it really hurts my heart to think about it. I hope you liked the chapter, nonetheless! Please let me know what you think!! Next chapter - on to the actual date, for realsies this time. :)


	5. Date Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally the actual date part of my first date fic! Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't already done so, please do yourself a favor and go listen to Ed Sheeran's newest song "How Would You Feel." I started listening to it when I was writing this chapter and it made me cry. It's so beautiful, I just had to incorporate it into the story.

Lydia groaned. She doesn’t like being blindsided like this, but she felt a sense of excited anticipation, nonetheless. She had no idea what Stiles had in mind, but she allowed him to lead her outside and towards the jeep.

Before starting the car, Stiles reached into the back seat and pulled out a sweater, which he put on quickly. Once they backed out of the driveway, Lydia turned to him and looked at him expectantly. She knew she probably wouldn’t get anything out of him, yet again, but she still tried. “So, where are we going this time?” she asked casually.

Stiles didn’t relent, his only response being “You’ll see” as his lips twitched upwards slightly, trying to not give anything away.

Lydia sighed and Stiles responded by reaching over and squeezing her hand as he said, “You only have to be patient for a little longer.”

“Fine,” she responded as she sat back against her seat and pulled out her phone. After glancing at it for a few seconds, she voiced a concern. “That’s weird.”

Stiles looked over at her questioningly. “What is?”

“We’ve been gone all day and I don’t have one text or call from anyone from the pack.”

He snorted a little before saying, “That’s because I told them all to leave us alone today unless someone was, like, dying or something. And even then, I told them to try to deal with it without us.”

Lydia looked mortified at his words, so Stiles quickly assured her, “I’m joking, of course! I kindly asked them all to _please_ not bother us as I attempt to woo you with my romanticness.”

Lydia laughed slightly in response. “You ‘kindly asked them to please not bother us?’ Yup, that definitely sounds like you.”

“Okay, so there _may_ have been some threats involved. I don’t have glowing eyes to flash, but I think I was threatening enough with just my words,” Stiles said as he scratched his chin thoughtfully.

Lydia tried to imagine what Stiles possibly could have said to a bunch of werewolves that would pass as “threatening” and covered her mouth to hide a snicker. “I’m sure you were terrifying, Stiles,” she said as she patted his hand. Stiles seemed to miss the sarcasm in her voice, probably distracted by the road, because he mumbled contentedly.

Soon, Stiles was parking by what Lydia recognized as the local park, but why would they be at the park? She hasn’t been here since she was a little girl, when her parents used to bring her on the weekends, back when things were still good between them, when they were a happy family.

Lydia looked at Stiles questioningly, but he didn’t give her any response, staying completely silent as he exited his side of the jeep and walked to the passenger side.

He opened the door for her and held out his arm expectantly, giving her a soft, nervous smile as he does so. Lydia didn’t hesitate before taking his arm, remembering the last time they were in a similar situation, when they went to the formal together. Looking back, that day seemed so far away, as if it was part of another life, one that was lived by a version of herself she doesn’t even recognize anymore. She smiled up at Stiles, reassuring him as he led her into the park.

Lydia sucked in a breath when she looked around her, taking in the view of the trees, all laced with fairy lights, surrounding the entire park.

She’s speechless for a few moments, entranced by the beauty of the place and unable to do much more than stare. When she finally composed herself, she looked at Stiles and was immediately alarmed at the anxious expression she found on his face.

“How?” she asked.

He relaxed a little at her inquiry, his shoulders releasing their tension, hopefully as a result of seeing the awe in her expression. “I’m relieved that you came to the conclusion that I did this myself and that it wasn’t, like, something the park just decided to do, because that would’ve been embarrassing,” he responded, laughing nervously.

Lydia didn’t respond, so he explained further. “There are certain perks to being the son of the Sheriff.” He shrugged as he continued, “He knows people.”

Lydia nodded appreciatively. “It’s stunning,” she said, beaming at him.

Stiles kissed her hair in response. “Yeah, it’s much cooler than the candles at my house. But come on, this isn’t the best part!” He grabbed what looked like a pillow, a blanket, and a plastic bag from the back seat of the jeep before locking it and leading her deeper into the park.

They walked towards the middle, to the part that resembles an open field, far from the jungle gym and the swings.

Lydia sees that a large screen has been set up and that people have started to gather around it. She turned to Stiles, her head cocked to the side. “Are we watching something?”

“Yup,” he said, his mouth popping on the ‘p.’

“What are we watching?”

Stiles grinned at her. “You’ll see in a few minutes. We got here just in time!” He led her to the woman selling snacks and bought drinks and two buckets of popcorn, one with caramel and one with butter. Then, he pulled her to a nearby tree that was a decent distance from the screen and the people seating themselves around it. He handed her the pillow to hold as he spread the blanket on the ground in front of the tree. Stiles proceeded to place the plastic bag and the buckets of popcorn on the blanket, taking the pillow from her, setting it against the tree, and sitting down.

Lydia stood there, staring at him, as he spread his legs out and opened his arms, gesturing for her to sit down. The idiot had the audacity to look at her suggestively as he smiled and said, “Come on, Lyds, I don’t bite.”

Lydia rolled her eyes at him, but bit her lip to stop herself from smiling because she is in love with an absolute _dork_. She accepted his invitation and sat down, settling herself against him, her back to his chest. He’s tall enough that his chin lay on top of her head, his arms wrapped around her and his legs spread out around hers.

Once she realized what they were watching, Lydia gasped. Stiles, seemingly content with her reaction, chuckled and, due to their present state, she could literally feel his laughter reverberating in his chest.

He leaned closer to her and whispered, “Finally caught on, huh?” in her ear. Lydia could hear the smugness in his voice, probably proud that he succeeded in surprising her multiple times throughout the day.

“How did you do this?” she whispered back.

“Apparently, they recently started doing these movie nights once a month and they, like, vote on what movie to watch. Luckily, since it’s summer, a lot of people are away, so not many showed up to vote on the movie this month. I suggested ‘The Notebook’ and I got lucky, no one objected. I was willing to bribe people into agreeing with me, but thankfully, it didn’t have to come to that.”

Lydia laughed. “You are ridiculous.” She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you. This is...this is amazing.”

Stiles blushed slightly at her reaction. “Yeah, well, I know it’s your favorite movie, so, I thought it would be nice for us to watch it together and not just at home, but in, like, a nicer setting.”

Lydia thought back to how much Jackson hated this movie, how he always tried to coax her into making out instead of paying attention the few times that she persuaded him into watching it with her. She glanced at Stiles, watching with rapt attention, and sighed contentedly, reveling in the feeling of being wrapped in his embrace and experiencing this with him.  

Halfway through the movie, as the summer night turned chilly, Lydia started shivering slightly, and Stiles immediately took off his sweater and gave it to her. She smiled to herself, wondering if he brought it for the express purpose of giving it to her to wear when she would inevitably become cold.

They’d gotten through most of their popcorn when Stiles pulled the bag of Reese’s he bought earlier that day out of the plastic bag and handed a few to Lydia. She smiled at him before opening one, breaking it in half, and putting one half in his mouth.

By the end of the movie, Lydia was very grateful for her waterproof makeup because, as always, she was crying. When Stiles became aware of this, his thumbs brushed against her eyes, softly wiping away her tears.

Lydia shifted in his arms so that she was looking at him. “I just...love it _so much_. She remembered him for a little while and then they died _together._ ”

“I know, babe,” Stiles said softly as he cradled her face.

As she looked at him closely, Lydia realized that his eyes were wet, too.

“Stiles, were you crying, too?”

“What - No, of course not!” he said defensively, wiping at his eyes quickly.

Lydia raised one perfect eyebrow at him. He sighed. “Fine, maybe I teared up _a little_. It was really sad!”

She tried not to think about why the ending could have been particularly emotional for Stiles, not only because Allie forgot Noah, which must’ve hit close to home with the whole ghost riders ordeal, but _why_ she forgot him. Allie had dementia... _fuck_. If she had known that he planned this, she would’ve tried to persuade him out of it...

Before she could say something, apologize for not warning him beforehand, Stiles said, “I didn’t think I’d get emotional since it wasn’t my first time watching it.”

Lydia paused and gaped at him. “What? It wasn’t your first time?”

“No...I thought you knew? I watched it before, to see what all the hype was about,” he replied sheepishly.

_So, he knew that part of the movie was potentially triggering for him, but he still wanted to watch it with her. Wow._

“You continue to surprise me, Stiles Stilinski.”

He winked at her in response and said, “That’s the goal.”

Lydia looked around her and was shocked to see that everyone who was watching the movie with them had retreated. She honestly had forgotten that there were other people there, feeling as though it was only her and Stiles watching, alone.

“Did you pay everyone to leave as quickly as possible?” she questioned jokingly.

“Nope. Just got lucky,” he said, with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Are we not going home?” Lydia asked.

“Not just yet, I have one more surprise up my sleeve” Stiles said, as he moved to stand up.

Once he was on his feet, he held his hand out to her to help her up. Lydia knelt down to pick up their belongings, but Stiles stopped her, claiming that they’d “come back for them later.”

Stiles led her to the back of the park, behind the screen, to a gazebo, which must’ve been built in the past few years because she’s never seen it before. It was also decorated with fairy lights and it looked beautiful.

They walked up the few stairs and before Lydia could ask what this was all about, Stiles said, “So, I was told that I missed prom while I was...gone.”

Lydia nodded in response, not sure where this was going. Stiles went on, “Which sucks, honestly, because I was working up the courage to ask you for _months._ I tried thinking of the best way to do it, creating these elaborate plans...you know, when I wasn’t freaking out about an impending supernatural disaster...but I was eventually gonna do it!”

Lydia laughed slightly, her heart breaking a little at the thought of him putting so much thought into it and they didn’t even get the chance... “It’s okay, I didn’t end up going.”

Stiles’ eyes widened at that. “I know, Scott told me. It just seems so weird to me. You, Lydia Martin, not going to prom?!”

Lydia shrugged. “It just...didn’t feel right.”

Stiles smiled sadly in understanding.

“I would’ve said yes,” she said softly.

His eyes lit up at her words. “Really?” he breathed.

Lydia nodded, suddenly shy for some reason.

“Well, that’s why I thought of doing this. Since we both didn’t get to go to prom…” he said, as he walked towards the speakers next to the screen and plugged in his phone.

“Do what?” Lydia asked, as he walked back towards her.

“This,” he whispered, placing his hands on her waist.

Lydia got the memo and wrapped her arms around his neck. The song started with the piano playing...

_You are the one, girl_

_You know that it's true_

_I'm feeling younger_

_Every time that I'm alone with you_

They swayed as Lydia closed her eyes and allowed the moment to consume her. Every other thought escaped her mind, clearing it completely.

“Remember how you were the first girl I ever danced with?” Stiles said softly with a lopsided smile on his face.

Lydia gave him a small smile, realizing the significance of his repeated words. “I was horrible to you that day,” she said, her smiling failing.

Stiles only pulled her closer. “Nah, you weren’t.”

“Remember how I told you Scott and Malia had to hypnotize me in order for me to get all my memories of you back?”

Stiles nodded slowly, unsure of where this was going.

“Well, Scott was supposed to guide me and he told me to think of the first time I felt a real connection with you. The first thing that came to mind was the formal, when you were telling me how you were pretty sure you were the only one who knew how smart I really was.”

Stiles grinned widely. “I always knew we had a connection…”

Lydia laughed. “One strong enough to open a rift in the space time continuum?”

“Okay, I didn’t imagine that it’d be _that_ epic, I just got lucky.”

Stiles took one of her hands so that they were dancing properly as Lydia laid her head on his chest.

_How would you feel_

_If I told you I loved you_

_It's just something that I want to do_

_I'm taking my time, spending my life_

_Falling deeper in love with you_

_So tell me that you love me too_

“I love you, Lyds,” he breathed, barely audible, but loud enough for her to hear.

Lydia sucked in a breath. So far, he’d only said it to her once, the day he was taken by the ghost riders, right before they took him… Come to think of it, she never directly said it back. When they saw each other for the first time when he came back, the first thing she said to him was “I didn’t say it back” because she regretted not doing so, so much throughout the three months that he was gone.

She was terrified that she’d never get the chance to tell him, to see the look on his face when he hears it for the first time… but he’d responded by telling her that she didn’t have to and then they were kissing with so much desperation and want and _need_ that all words just...ceased. Then, with the chaos of the last few weeks, what with getting everything prepared for graduation and college and apparently Noah’s grief-stricken paranoia, they didn’t see each other much.

Lydia doesn't waste any more time before voicing how she feels. She needed to say it, she needed him to know. Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest, beating at an erratic rate as she said, “I love you, Stiles. So much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to write one last chapter where they go back to Stiles' house. The ideas I have for it are mostly them talking about the future and whatnot, so let me know if you guys are interested in that or if you think the story is good as is! I'll only write it if I see that people are especially eager to read more. :) I'm slightly inclined to write one more chapter just because this is chapter 5 and I hate odd numbers lmao. But if I don't write any more, I just want to say thank you so, so much to everyone who has taken the time to read this and to those lovely people who left sweet comments that absolutely made my day and kept me motivated! You guys are the best!! <3 As always, please let me know what you think of this latest chapter!


	6. I See My Future in Your Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quiet end to a perfect day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I decided to write one last chapter!! Later than I anticipated, but I'm on spring break right now and I've been really emotional about Teen Wolf wrapping, so I felt like I really wanted to write just one more. I also just really, really hate odd numbers lmao. I couldn't help using a line from another Ed song as the title. I'm just completely obsessed with Divide and "Perfect," the song that this line is from, truly lives up to its name.

As Stiles and Lydia drove back to his house, Lydia felt lighter than she had in years. The sweetness of their date, coupled with the fact that she finally, _finally_ told him that she loves him, overwhelmed her. She was hoping that he already knew, which he hinted at when he told her she didn’t have to say it back once they were reunited, but the look on his face when she said those three words to him, her eyes piercing his own…she wishes someone was there to photograph it.

There’s no possible way she could string a combination of the 26 letters in the English alphabet to describe it. She hopes she memorized it, wanting to burn it into her mind forever as a keepsake of one of the most precious moments of her existence. Lydia decides then that she wouldn’t mind spending every minute for the rest of her life telling Stiles Stilinski that she loves him if he’d look at her like _that_ every time.

After he snapped out of his reverie, clearly shocked, Stiles slowly pulled her to him, impossibly closer, and kissed her with a desperation somehow deeper than that of their kiss in the locker room a few weeks ago. He felt it, he _knew_ , but, for some reason, the confirmation coming from her lips completely unraveled him. Lydia wrapped her entire body around him, drowning in him, throwing all of her fear away for just this one moment.

Once they broke apart, after what felt like ages, both breathing deeply, Stiles picked her up and twirled her around with a look of absolute bliss on his face. As he set her back down on the ground, Lydia laughed, intoxicated by the happiness she saw in his expression and felt in his touch.

He embraced her, then, unwilling to let go of her, as he whispered, “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” into her neck.

Lydia pulled back a little to look at him. “What are you thanking me for?” she asked as she played with the hair at the back of his neck.

“Just...just for saying it. God, Lydia, you don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear you say that. Actually you probably do…” His voice was heavy with emotion, yet impossibly soft.

Lydia smiled sadly as she said, “I’m sorry it took me so long to catch up.”

Stiles cupped her face. “Don’t ever apologize for that. Having you in my life means the world to me, regardless of whether it’s in a romantic or platonic sense. The fact that you feel this way at all...it blows my fucking mind, Lyds. And I don’t think it’ll ever stop.”

She sighed at his declaration, grabbing his face with both hands and kissing him softly in response.

Soon, they were pulling into Stiles’ driveway and walking towards the house, hand in hand. As they entered the house, Lydia asked, “Why isn’t the Sheriff back yet?”

Stiles looked at her sheepishly. “You know what I told you earlier about him being excessively overprotective?”

Lydia nodded. “Well, he only backed off when I told him that I really, really just wanted to spend the day with you.”

She smiled warmly at him. “So you told him not to come home?”

“I told him that he didn’t have to worry about me when I’d be spending the day with my badass banshee girlfriend,” Stiles said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Lydia clutched her heart in feigned flattery. “He trusts me to protect you?”

“Of course he does. So do I,” he replied, seriously, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and kissing her head as he walked her towards the stairs.

Lydia may have been joking before, but she was genuinely touched by his remark. It made her happy to know that, not only does Stiles trust her to keep him safe, but the Sheriff does, too. Gone were her days of feeling helpless, of being unable to protect the people she loved most, and it warmed her heart to know that those around her were recognizing how far she’s come.

She looked up at Stiles as they approached his room and said, teasingly, “Well, I’m definitely more reliable than a baseball bat.”

Stiles’ eyes widened at her offensive comment. “How dare you! Baseball bats have gotten us out of some pretty sticky situations! And, if I do recall correctly, our dear friend Mason told me that you went after a _berserker_ with a baseball bat when the rest of us were in Mexico.”

Lydia opened her mouth to defend herself, but closed it again. That was a moment of very, very stupid bravery, fueled by her worry over her friends. She settled for glaring at him as she said, “Damn you, Mason, no one was supposed to find out about that. Especially not you.”

Stiles laughed heartily. “God, what I would give to have witnessed that with my own two eyes…”

They had reached Stiles’ room and Lydia sat down on his bed as he reached for a water bottle on his night stand. “You probably would’ve thought it was hot.”

Stiles choked on the water he was drinking, which made Lydia burst out laughing, content that she caught him off guard and was able to get him back for his teasing.

Once he recovered, he said, “You’re right, I would’ve, and it probably would’ve gotten me killed. My tombstone would read ‘Cause of death: Too busy being turned on by the sight of Lydia Martin charging at a berserker with a baseball bat that I didn’t notice my own impending doom.’”

Lydia snorted, her laughter doubling at his response, as he sat down next to her. “While that would be quite an iconic death, the only way you’ll be put into an early grave,” she said as she poked him in the chest, “is if I kill you myself. Otherwise, you’re going to live to the ripe old age of 86.”

“86? That’s pretty specific and not very optimistic, Lydia. My aspirations have always been _at least_ 94,” he joked.

Lydia laughed as she smacked him lightly on the shoulder. “How about we stop talking about death completely?”

Stiles beamed at her as grabbed one of her hands and kissed her knuckles. “I love making you laugh.”

“Well, although your sardonic humor is not always appreciated, I think that’s one of the things I love most about you; that you can make me laugh, even at times when I feel like I’ll never laugh again,” Lydia said honestly.

Stiles gaped at her, a look of awe coloring his features. He swallowed loudly as he said, “I know I vehemently hate needles, but I’m seriously considering getting what you just said tattooed on my body.”

Lydia rolled her eyes at him. “You are ridiculous.”

Stiles looked at his digital clock before he could respond, realizing that it was nearing 10:00 pm. He jumped up in alarm. “Fuck, it’s almost 10! If Natalie doesn’t already dislike me, she definitely will now if she finds out that I made you skip school and have kept you out this long…”

Lydia squeezed his shoulder to calm him down. “Relax, Stiles. My mom’s out of town at some conference. She would’ve called me by now if she was home.”

“Oh, thank God,” he said in relief. Then, a grin appeared on his face as he said, “Wow, I’m just _really_ lucky today.”  

“What do you mean?” Lydia asked in confusion.

“Your mom’s out of town...you could stay the night.” He paused, then added, quickly, “If you want, of course.”

Lydia didn’t hesitate before smiling shyly and nodding in response. She hated staying home alone in that huge house, she hated sleeping alone, knowing all the horrors this town holds.

“Awesome!” he said as he kissed her on the cheek before announcing that he was going to order pizza.

He walked out of the room and popped his head back in seconds later to prove a point, apparently. “And just for the record, regarding the baseball bat thing, I was rubbing off on you without you even realizing,” he said with a wink, causing Lydia to roll her eyes once again.

Stiles came back a few minutes later holding a pair of Lydia’s pajamas that she’d left in the guest room the last time she slept over.

When they first got him back, Lydia was acting just like the Sheriff apparently has been; she wouldn’t let him out of her sight, demanding that she be near him at all times. The first few days, she wouldn’t leave his side, much to her mother’s chagrin, who claimed that her spending the night there was “vastly inappropriate.” But Melissa, bless her heart, stepped in and talked to Natalie alone, helping her to understand how much it meant to Lydia, how important it was for her to be with Stiles at the time.

Of course, Lydia didn’t end up sleeping in the guest room; it was too far from Stiles, she needed to be near _him_ , not just in his house. She snuck into his room and into his waiting arms, since he probably guessed what she would do. The Sheriff found them like that the next day, wrapped up in each other, sleeping soundly, and didn’t have the heart to say anything to stop them. Incidentally, those were the best nights of sleep Lydia had in three months. 

Lydia changed into her pajamas (they were actually her favorite pair) as Stiles left to get the pizza that he ordered.

When he came back, they sat on his bed to eat. She gave him a look of utmost disgust once he grabbed a slice of pineapple pizza.

“What?!,” he exclaimed, “I made sure to tell the guy to make it half plain!”

“Pineapple does not belong on pizza, it's absolutely blasphemous” Lydia said as she wrinkled her nose.

Stiles scoffed. “Just because it’s an unlikely combination…”

“Like us?” Lydia questioned innocently, smirking at the same time.

“My point exactly!” he said as he devoured his slice.

Once they finished eating and cleaned up, they went into the bathroom to brush their teeth and get ready for bed. Lydia’s toothbrush was already there, along with a bunch of her hair and face products. She was slightly taken aback by the domesticity of it all, of her things being in Stiles’ bathroom, of that being _normal_.

They brushed their teeth side by side, Lydia so much shorter than Stiles, barefoot as she was, but she loved their height difference. She didn’t feel self conscious about her height around him, even though he was a goddamn tree. She didn’t feel small around him as she did with others, like she needed to take up as much space as possible to prove her existence.

Lydia sighed contentedly, thinking she could get used to this, thinking that that thing she always felt like she was missing all her life has finally been found in the boy beside her with the whiskey colored eyes and the weight of the world on his shoulders.

They settled into Stiles’ bed after that, facing each other, Stiles’ arm wrapped around her waist and Lydia’s hand playing with Stiles’ hair. They lay there in silence for a little, both not ready to fall asleep and bring this perfect day to an end, but simply enjoying the comfort of having the other there.

Soon, though, Lydia broke the silence. She didn’t know what made her think of this, but she said, “Did I ever tell you that, before I remembered you, I dreamed of the 3rd grade?”

Stiles sucked in a breath. “What?”

Lydia was suddenly shy, but she went on. “I think...I think my memories of you were slipping through the cracks of the Ghost Rider spell, so I started remembering my earliest memories of you through my dreams.” She told him what she remembered, no longer knowing if she was describing her dream or simply retelling the real memory.

_Lydia was standing on her tiptoes, trying to reach the glue and glitter on the top shelf of the arts and crafts cabinet in their classroom. She huffed, furious at her height that was hindering her desire to make her picture look especially pretty._

_A boy who was sufficiently taller than her sidled up to her, a lopsided smile on his face as he watched her struggle._

_“Need a hand?” He asked._

_Lydia eyed him suspiciously. She may be short, but there was a lot of pride contained in her small frame._

_“No thanks, I can do it myself. I'll just get a chair-”_

_The boy laughed. He seemed genuinely amused by her predicament - the audacity! “Why go through all that trouble?”_

_“Because I want to do it myself,” Lydia said as she marched towards the nearest chair. But by the time she had pushed it towards the cabinet, the boy had retrieved the glue and the glitter for her, smiling innocently._

_“You know what? I've changed my mind. I don't want either anymore.” She stomped away from him and sat down on the opposite side of the classroom, her face red with anger._

_“Well, excuse me for trying to be nice!” He called after her. Lydia pretended she didn't hear him and immersed herself in finishing her drawing (without the glitter because who needs glitter? It looks perfectly fine without it, she decided)._

Stiles smiled as he unconsciously pulled her closer. Lydia continued, “That was the first dream. I had no idea who this little boy I was dreaming about was, or why the dream was so vivid, or why I was dreaming of 3rd grade me interacting with him. I didn’t think much of it until I had another dream, also in the 3rd grade.”

_She was wearing a light blue summer dress with a matching ribbon in her hair, carrying a stack of books that she had checked out from the library. Lydia loved reading. She was the most frequent visitor of her school’s library, as she devoured book after book, escaping her parents’ increasingly consistent arguments through them._

_Lydia was rushing towards the playground, eager to sit down by her favorite tree and start one of the new books she had checked out. In her haste, she had underestimated how stable the books were in her hands, causing a few to tumble onto the ground. As Lydia set down the ones that hadn’t fallen onto a picnic table, preparing to kneel down and pick up the others, a boy had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and gathered them up for her, with a smile on his face._

_“What -”_

_“Here you go,” he said lazily, handing her the fallen books._

_“Where did you come from?”_

_“My mom’s stomach, I think.”_

_Lydia glared at him as she grabbed the books from him, muttering underneath her breath._

_“Was that a ‘thank you?’”_

_She ignored him as she picked up her books, securing them in her grasp this time, and started towards her tree._

_But the boy just didn’t get the hint. He started walking with her and, out of the corner of her eye, she could see him glancing at another boy who was grinning at him from the jungle gym._

_“Look, let’s call a truce, okay?” He said, with a soft smile on his face and a startling spark in his eyes._

_“What are you talking about?” Lydia asked,_ _narrowing her eyes at him._

_“I know I was a jerk last month with the whole glitter thing….”_

_Lydia was momentarily confused until she remembered what he was talking about. “Oh. Okay, I accept your apology.” She had hoped that that would be a good way to end the conversation, she really wanted to start her book...but the boy was infuriatingly persistent._

_He actually laughed. “I didn’t say sorry…-” but, after seeing her face scrunch up in annoyance, he continued, “...but I am! Very sorry. Anyway! So, you like to read?”_

_Lydia could not believe that this kid was still standing here speaking to her. “Obviously,” she replied, enunciating every letter._

_“That’s really cool!” he said, right before he tripped on a large rock and fell, face first, into the ground._

_Lydia tried to hide her snicker, but the boy could definitely see the laughter in her eyes. She offered him her hand to help him up and he took it, recovering from the fall less than gracefully as his gangly legs struggled to straighten. But before he could utter another word, she was hurrying away, towards the other side of the playground, where her tree was, far away from the noise coming from the jungle gym and the sandbox._

_Lydia could sense the boy looking after her and, after immersing herself in her book for a while, chanced a look across the way and saw him look up from his animated conversation with the boy who had grinned at him before and gave her a lopsided smile. She stuck her face back into her book, ignoring the small smile that appeared on her face._

Stiles looked at Lydia with so much emotion in his expression when she stopped talking. “I didn’t think you remembered all that,” he said softly.

“How could I forget the annoying kid who tripped and fell after telling me how cool it is that I liked to read? You’ve always been _so_ smooth, Stilinski.”

Stiles took her sarcasm in stride. “Well, how could I not fall on my face when someone so smart and beautiful was talking to me?”

“Aaaaand he strikes again.”

Stiles grinned. “Well, it worked. We’re together, aren’t we?”

“Debatable.”

His eyes widened as he gaped at her.

“I’m joking, you idiot. Your creepy, yet somehow extremely sweet 10 year plan worked.”

“Wh - whaaaaat? What are you talking about? What 10 year plan? I have never, in my entire life, made a 10 year plan…”

Lydia laughed as she patted his cheek. “Oh, relax. Scott told me.”

“He what?! That’s it, I’m gonna kill him. Alpha werewolf or not, I will murder him.”

She smiled at him in response. “10 years...can you believe it? We’re 18 now and off to college soon.” She tensed up at that, immediately wishing she hadn’t brought this up.

They talked about college before they decided where they would go; Stiles was willing to make so many sacrifices just so he’d be close to his dad, her, Scott, and the rest of the pack, but Lydia insisted that he do what was best for him. And what was best for him just so happened to be George Washington University, which was about 440 miles away from MIT, almost a 7 hour drive.

She knew Stiles could feel her discomfort, which he proved when he cradled her cheek with his hand. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked with concern.

Lydia thought Stiles would be the one to take the distance badly, to be worried the most about it, but she’s pretty sure she could give him a run for his money, with the way she’s been feeling lately. She’s been trying to distract herself, to live in the moment and not think about when they’ll have to be separated, but it’s proven significantly difficult. They just found their way back to each other, they’re just beginning to explore this new state of their relationship, so the fact that they’re going to be separated for considerable lengths of time was truly daunting.

So Lydia has put up a strong facade, reassuring Stiles every time he brought it up, while she felt torn up about it. She knows they’ve endured so much, that a little distance should be nothing when put into perspective, but Stiles has been such a constant in her life for the past few years, he’s been her anchor...

“It’s just...I’m worried about how we’re going to deal with the distance...really, how we’re all going to cope with it. You’ve never been away from your dad for very long and the same goes for you and Scott, it’s going to be so hard for you.”

“And us?” he asks, gently.

“And us,” she breathed, distracting herself by tracing the neckline of his t-shirt.

Stiles lifted her chin to make sure she was looking at him properly. “Well, about my dad and Scott...it’s gonna be really hard at first, but I think we’ll be able to get used to it. I’m gonna come visit on holidays and breaks and they’ll come visit whenever they can. I’m not gonna lie, it’s been really difficult to think about, especially with what just happened to me, but this is what growing up is, right?”

Lydia nodded in understanding. She’s also had to come to terms with the fact that she’ll be leaving her mom all alone, but she hopes the other parents in the pack will look after her. She’s also thought about how hard it’s going to be to leave the pack, especially Scott and Malia, who she’s grown so close to recently. Stiles will be most accessible to her, while Beacon Hills will only be a place to visit during breaks and holidays.

She sighed. They all scoffed at Stiles’ exceedingly optimistic plan from the beginning of senior year that composed of them all finding a way to stay close together, but now she wishes that were possible. She hates what this town has taken from her, how much she’s lost because of it, but, at the same time, she has to look at what she’s gained: a guy who loves her more than she ever thought she deserved, a group of friends who have been through Hell with her and only came out stronger, and a deeper connection with her mother than she’s had for years.

Stiles continued. “And about me and you...honestly, I believe in us. After all we’ve been through, I don’t think distance is what’s going to break us. I know it’s going to be hard since our relationship is fairly new, but, personally, I’m willing to brave through any storm with you. But, if at any time you think you can’t do it anymore, just talk to me, Lyds, and I’ll respect your choice.”

Lydia stared at him, unable to fully comprehend how selfless he was being in that moment. He was giving her an out in case it becomes too much for her, just to make her life easier, even if it breaks his heart.

She shuffled closer to him, overwhelmed by how much love she felt for him and how she knew that no amount of distance would extinguish it.

“That’s not an option for me. I didn’t pine after you for so long for us to end things prematurely.”

Stiles laughed. “Oh, _you_ were the one pining for _me_ for a long time?!” he exclaimed.

Lydia smiled, her worries temporarily dispelled, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Stiles responded in kind, gripping her waist as their legs tangled with each other.

His hand found its way underneath her tank top, his fingers dancing across her back, sending a shiver down her spine. Lydia bit his lower lip in retaliation, nibbling softly, making Stiles groan into her mouth. He pulled her impossibly closer, moving her so that she was practically on top of him, causing Lydia to giggle happily as her hair tickled his face.

They broke apart once they had to come up for air. “I honestly can’t believe this is my life. Just casually making out with Lydia Martin. In my bed. That’s a thing that happens now.” He couldn’t stop grinning, as if he truly was in complete disbelief.

Lydia shook her head at his words, smiling slightly. “Thank you for today. It was honestly perfect. The best date I’ve ever had.”

Stiles beamed at her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Really?”

“Really.”

He looked at her in that way that makes her heart race at an erratic rate, with immense softness and vulnerability, and once again, she tries her best to memorize it, tucking it away for the nights she'll have to spend without him.

Lydia buried her face into his neck and threw her leg over one of his own. “Go to sleep, Stiles,” she whispered.

He kissed her forehead and whispered, “I love you, Lydia.”

She smiled into his neck. “I love you, too, Stiles,” she whispered back.

Lydia didn’t fall asleep until she heard Stiles’ breathing even out, so grateful for these times when she can make sure that he’s actually getting some sleep. She cuddled into him, feeling completely at peace in his arms.

A few hours later, Lydia heard the door to Stiles’ bedroom open. The Sheriff crept in slowly, but Stiles still woke up, living in the supernatural world for so long conditioning him into being a light sleeper. He shifted so that he was lying on his back with one arm still wrapped around her, but tried not to move too much to avoid waking her.

“Hey, dad,” she heard him whisper to the Sheriff.

Lydia pretended to be asleep, not wanting to intrude on a private moment between them.

The Sheriff came closer to the bed. “Hey, Stiles. How’d the date go?” he asked, softly.

Lydia could feel Stiles’ hold on her tighten as he responded, “She loved it.”

“That’s great, son! I know you might doubt it sometimes, but Lydia...Lydia really does love you."

Stiles looked down at Lydia, a look of pure awe coloring his features. "It just feels like a dream, y'know? Being with her...it's everything, dad. I don't know what I did to deserve this, to deserve her, but I'm never gonna stop being grateful." 

Noah nodded in understanding, his expression full of happiness for his son and the girl wrapped in his arms. They're just kids who have been through so much, lost so much, but it was all worth it, in the end, because they found love in each other.

"You should’ve seen her when you were gone...you should’ve seen her when she came into this room, remembering everything about it, remembering _you_...she was a mess. She held onto your jersey like it was her lifeline when she found it. I didn’t fully believe her at the time, so I was genuinely concerned about her well being...but, looking back at it now, all I see is love. I gotta admit, ever since you started telling me about her when you were in the 3rd grade, I was worried she’d break your heart. I’ve never been so happy to be wrong.”

Noah gave him a watery smile, probably thinking about Claudia and how happy she would be to know that the girl who Stiles used to come home and gush about all those years ago has given their son her heart for safe keeping.

Lydia suddenly felt a surge of affection for the Sheriff, wanting to get up and hug him, but she stopped herself. This moment was between a man and his son.

Stiles had heard all about the time he was gone from his dad and his friends, but he never tired of hearing about how Lydia reacted to his absence. He couldn't believe his ears the first time his dad described to him how absolutely wrecked Lydia was, how much she clearly missed him. He sought her out that day, needing to hear her confirm what he was told, to know that it was real. Hearing her talk about it, with tears in her eyes and shaking hands, completely overwhelmed him, which was evident by the fact that he held her for the rest of the night, looking at her with an unbelievable amount of warmth as he whispered that he'd never leave her again.

He told her that it was inconceivable to him how, after years of him not even being "on her radar," she was the one who held onto his memory longer than anyone, the one who had the most faith in his existence, the one who pushed everyone else to believe. He told her he never believed he was worthy of that affection, especially coming from her, and she responded by kissing him, whispering "you're worth everything to me" against his lips. 

Stiles came back to a reality where Lydia Martin openly loved him, after finally letting go of her fear because nothing scared her more than having to live without him, a reality where she kissed him like it was the most important thing she'd ever do the second she saw him for the first time since he was erased.

He leaned towards Lydia and pressed a soft kiss to her hair. “I’ve loved her for most of my life, it’s so surreal to me that she loves me, too.”

Noah got up and squeezed his son’s shoulder and Lydia could sense him smiling at her. “She does, son, she does.”

Lydia shifted closer to Stiles as if to confirm the Sheriff’s words and she could sense him wrapping his arms tightly around her again as his dad closed the door quietly behind him.

She opened her eyes and looked up at Stiles.

"You heard all of that, didn't you?"

Lydia laughed and nodded slightly.

"Damn. I guess we're both light sleepers."

Lydia stroked Stiles' cheek as she said, "I think we have to be, with the lives we lead. Are you ready to face reality again in the morning?"

Stiles took the hand that was on his face and kissed her palm. "For once in my life, the future doesn't terrify me because I have you with me. I see it in your eyes and it's never looked so beautiful."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, this time, it really is the last chapter! And it's apparently the longest chapter I've written! I didn't know I had so many ideas for this last one until I started writing it. I hope you guys are okay with my slight canon divergence regarding the dreams/memories of the 3rd grade, that was actually supposed to be part of another fic that I never ended up writing, so I really just wanted to include it somewhere. Thank you so much for following this story and being so kind with your comments, it's been such a great experience writing this and I genuinely hope you've enjoyed it. Teen Wolf is officially done filming and I've actually cried, like, two times already, so I channeled all those emotions into writing the end to this. Feedback is very, very appreciated!! :)
> 
> Come talk to me @ blossomingintheshadows.tumblr.com


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